1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to data-processing systems, and more particularly, to an improved microcomputer-development system for use in the development and production of microcomputer-based products.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Microcomputer-development systems are design aids which facilitate microprocessor hardware and software development. The purpose of these development aids is to shorten the design cycle and thus save time and money in the development and production of microcomputer-based products. One such prior system is the Intel Model 230 Intellec Series II Microcomputer Development System. The system includes a CPU, RAM and ROM memories, a CRT, a keyboard, and diskette drives for on-line data storage. A diskette-operating-system software allows the apparatus to be used for assembling and/or compiling and debugging programs for various models of Intel's microprocessors.
In this and other prior development systems, it is necessary to do tasks serially. For example, if one is doing an assembly operation, one must wait until the operation is complete before going on to a different task. If one finds an error during assembly showing that there is a mistake in the source code, it is necessary to go back and reedit the source program. After the reediting is complete, it is necessary to go back to the assembly program and redo the assembly. Any further errors that are found in the assembly program require a repeat of the same serial procedure until there are no further errors and the final object program is done. The serial nature of the operations require that the source program be filed onto the disk and the asssembly program run until an error is found. Then the assembly program is loaded onto the disk and the source program is unloaded for editing. On the prior development systems, these operations must be done serially, because there is only one CPU on which either the source program or the assembly program can be run. One could use two separate development systems, and hence two CPUs. The editing could be done on one system and the assembly program run on the other system. Then when an error is found in the assembly program, the source program could be edited without the need to load and unload the various tasks. This would allow one to move on to another job while the assembly program is running on the second computer. The obvious drawback of this type of arrangement is the cost of having two complete development systems.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a development system in which two tasks can be run in parallel and continuously monitored on the same system.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a development system in which the keyboard, CRT, and input/output devices are shared by two processors which are capable of operating in parallel.